The best, most enduring and endearing food comes from chefs who channel their heritage and give diners a bit of themselves. No one is quite as passionate as Hoss Zare, who a few months ago took his name off the red awning in front of his restaurant, the Fly Trap, the subject of my Update review today in The Chronicle.

He took in a partner so he would have more free time and be able to concentrate on his food. Each time I go to the restaurant, I’m excited to see more Persian influences in his dishes, whether it’s the trout salad with harissa vinaigrette or the penne with spiced pork, fennel zaatar, mustard and a saffron tomato sauce.

While he honors the history of the restaurant, which as been around for more than 100 years, the food has a modern approach. The interior, too, bridges past and present.

Perhaps the best part of the experience is Zare himself. He often goes from table to table; his gregarious attitude informs all the service, which has come to be known as “hoss-pitality.”